Surveillance or monitoring systems known in the art contain a plurality of devices that monitor activity in respective areas or ranges. These devices are called sensors. The sensors are connected to one or more hubs that process signals provided by those sensors and react upon the activation of a sensor. The reaction may differ, depending on the type of sensor and the type or parameters of the signal sent by the sensor. For example, the hub may activate an audio-visual alarm based on detection of motion by a sensor.
The existing solutions are based on the assumption that the sensors remain active at all times and that the sensors are at all times ready to send signals to the hub. Although being very sensitive, this solution is significantly power-consuming, as it requires keeping all sensors powered on at all times.
A patent application GB2379354A presents a system that allows for adjustment of the sensitivity of the sensors depending on the captured signal. In the event that the control unit detects activity within the field of view of one of the cameras, it transmits a signal to that particular camera to switch its mode to high resolution.
However, the known solutions are still based on a central system entirely and provide no means of adjustment of that system in respect to the changing conditions.
There is a need for an improved sensor network and a method for detecting an event in a sensor network that would allow for lower energy consumption and operation that is less demanding computationally.